Compositions and methods for controlling pest insects

ABSTRACT

Compositions of a purine, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor and/or a dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor, and methods of using same, for controlling the growth of pest insects which salvage, store, or excrete their nitrogenous wastes via the purine metabolic pathway.

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/595,899, filed Feb. 6, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,601, issued Jun.23, 1998, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 08/291,072 filed Aug. 17, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,681,issued May 7, 1996.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to the regulation of the growth ofpest insects which utilize the purine metabolic pathway to salvage,store, or excrete their nitrogenous wastes. It comprises bringing intocontact with the pest insects, formulations containinggrowth-controlling amounts of compositions comprising purines, purinemetabolic-enzyme inhibitors, and inhibitors of enzymes which regulateproduction of specific co-factors of this pathway.

2. Description of the Background Art

Despite the recent development and great promise of such advancedinsect-controlling techniques as chemical sterilants, pheromones, andecologically-based control strategies, the use of chemical insecticidesstill plays a predominant role. However, rising public awareness ofenvironmental issues, more stringent government regulations, andincreasing insect resistance to conventional modalities are driving thepest control industry to seek safer alternatives to these conventionalchemical insecticides.

Others have attempted to identify and evaluate the efficacy of insectgrowth inhibitors. However, given the continuous need for increasedselectivity and effectiveness of insect control agents, it becamedesirable to engage in rational formulation of control agents based onan understanding of key insect nutritional and metabolic pathways.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is widely acknowledged that the majority of insects are uricotelic inthat they excrete their excess nitrogen as uric acid and uricolyticderivatives thereof (Cochran (1975), "Excretion in Insects" in InsectBiochemistry and Function pp. 171-281). The uric acid is synthesized,via the purine catabolic pathway shown in FIG. 1, and is either excretedto the outside, or, in some cases, stored by the insect as a metabolicreserve.

Cockroaches are a good model of the essential nature ofstorage-excretion of uric acid. For example, in German cockroaches, aslurry of uric acid is passed to the female during mating, as a paternalinvestment. The female, in turn, invests the developing eggs with asupply of uric acid that is used during embryogenesis (Mullins & Keil(1980), Nature 283: 567-569). Interruption of this vital cycle appearshighly detrimental to cockroach population growth, which depends heavilyon these uric acid stores (Engebretson & Mullins (1986), Comp. Biochem.Physiol. 83B: 93-97; Suiter et al. (1992), J. Econ. Entomol. 85(1):117-122). In the cockroach fat body, de novo synthesis of uric acidtakes place, largely through purine salvage, in the trophocytes and theuric acid is stored in specialized urocytes for recycling (Cochran(1985), Ann. Rev. Entomol. 30: 29-49). This is accomplished throughuricolytic digestion of the stored urates by endosymbiont bacteria whichare sequestered in bacteriocyte cells adjacent to the urocytes (Wren &Cochran (1987), Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 88B: 1023-1026). In this part ofthe uric acid cycle, the endosymbiont bacteria use xanthinedehydrogenase to reduce the urates to xanthine, and disruption of anypart of this system also inhibits population growth.

Another essential facet of insect physiology is the molt cycle, when thecuticular epithelial cells multiply and synthesize a new, largerexoskeleton just prior to ecdysis (Chapman (1982), The Insects Structureand Function. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; Hepburn(1985), "The Integument" in Fundamentals of Insect Physiology. Ed. M. S.Blum, pp. 139-183. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). At the same time,many of the internal tissues are growing, as in cockroaches where, forexample, development of the internal and external reproductive organsprogresses with each stage, culminating at the final molt to thesexually mature adult (Chapman (1982) The Insects Structure andFunction, Cambridge Mass.: Harvard University Press). During thisprocess, insects draw heavily on their metabolic reserves to achieve therapid growth of cells which takes place.

The purine metabolic pathway is central to all of these processes, and,thus, to homeostasis of insects. As in any of the known biochemicalpathways, the hydrolytic enzymes and their co-factors are essential tothe functioning of the purine degradative pathway. This pathway alsoserves to salvage the free purine bases for re-use in nucleotide andnucleic acid biosynthesis (Lehninger (1970) Biochemistry: The MolecularBasis of Cell Structure and Function. 2nd Ed. pp. 740-742).

Two of the enzymes involved in this pathway are xanthine oxidase anddihydrofolate reductase (also known as tetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase).Xanthine oxidase (E.C. 1.2.3.2), a molybdenum iron sulfur flavo-enzyme,functions late in the salvage pathway of purine catabolism fromguanosine monophosphate and inosine monophosphate to xanthine, andfinally, to uric acid. In this pathway, xanthine oxidase catalyzes boththe conversion of hypoxanthine to xanthine, and the conversion ofxanthine to uric acid (Coughlan (1980) Molybdenum andMolybdenum-Containing Enzymes. New York: Pergamon Press). Functioning asxanthine dehydrogenase, the same enzyme reduces uric acid to xanthine inthe uricolytic pathway of the endosymbiont bacteria in the cockroach fatbody (Wren & Cochran (1987), Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 88B: 1023-1026).Dihydrofolate reductase catalyzes the synthesis of tetrahydrofolate,which is an essential co-factor in the uric acid and purine synthesispathways (Kucers & Bennett (1979), "Trimethoprim and Cotrimoxazole" inThe Use of Antibiotics. 3rd Ed. London: William Heinemann Medical Books,Ltd.).

An understanding of these insect systems, which rely on the recyclingand excretion of their purines, led to the present invention, whichprovides novel compositions and methods for disrupting insecthomeostasis and inhibiting insect population growth. Thus, in oneembodiment, these compositions comprise (1) a purine such as guanine(2-amino-1,7-dihydro-6H-purin-6-one); hypoxanthine(1,7-dihydro-6H-purin-6-one); xanthine(3,7-dihydro-1H-purine-2,6-dione), or uric acid, and mixtures thereof,and (2) a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, preferably one of the pyrazolo3,4-d!pyrimidine group, such as oxypurinol (4,6-dihydroxypyrazolo3,4-d!pyrimidine); allopurinol (4-hydroxypyrazolo 3,4-d!pyrimidine);mercapto-allopurinol (4-hydroxy-6-mercaptopyrazolo 3,4-d!pyrimidine);4-mercapto-6-hydroxypyrazolo 3,4-d!pyrimidine; 4,6-dimercaptopyrazolo3,4-d!pyrimidine; or 4-amino-6-hydroxypyrazolo 3,4-d!pyrimidine; andmixtures thereof. In another embodiment, these compositions comprise (1)a purine; (2) a xanthine oxidase inhibitor; and (3) a dihydrofolatereductase inhibitor such as trimethoprim(2,4-diamino-5-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl)-pyrimidine), methotrexate (N- 4-(2,4-diamino-6-pteridinyl) methyl!methylamino!benzoyl!-L-glutamic acid),or pyrimethamine (5-(4-chlorophenyl)-6-ethyl-2,4-pyrimidinediamine), andmixtures thereof.

While specific purines in combination with specific enzyme inhibitorsare utilized to illustrate the present invention, it is understood thatany of the purines and inhibitors of any of the enzymes of the pathwayof FIG. 1 may be applied according to the present invention.

Furthermore, while the cockroach is utilized to illustrate the presentinvention, it is understood that the compositions and methods of thepresent invention may be applied to regulate the growth of any pestinsect which utilizes the purine metabolic pathway to salvage, store, orexcrete to the outside, its nitrogen wastes.

A further embodiment of the invention comprises an insect bait orattractant formulation containing an insect-growth-regulating effectiveamount of the compositions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows the pathway for purine catabolism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is predicated on the discovery that ingestion offormulations containing growth controlling amounts of certain novelcompositions by pest insects, particularly cockroaches, disruptshomeostasis and inhibits population growth.

The compositions of the present invention may be the sole activeingredients of the formulation or they may be admixed with one or moreadditional active ingredients, such as other, conventional insecticides.

The compositions of the present invention may be formulated with a"bait" or "attractant." For purposes of description of the presentinvention, these terms refer to any formulation to which pest insectsare attracted and which they will ingest. Such compositions arewell-known to those skilled in the art and it will be understood thatany such material which is inert with respect to the compositions of thepresent invention may be employed in the practice of the invention.

In use, the formulations may be applied to the pest insects, to thelocus of the pest insects, and/or to the habitat of the pest insects.

The following examples are included for purposes of illustration onlyand are not intended to be limiting, unless otherwise specified.

EXAMPLE 1 General Procedure

Unless otherwise specified, German cockroaches (Blattella germanica L.)from the stock laboratory "VPI" strain were used to form experimentalcolonies of mixed life stages. Unless otherwise specified, each insectcolony of 42 insects contained five each of newly post-emergent adultmales and females, eight each of male and female nymphs at the fifthnymphal stage, and eight each of male and female nymphs at the thirdnymphal stage. Care was taken to select insects from the same stockcolonies for each experimental block, and each colony was allowed toacclimatize for twenty-four (24) hours prior to treatment.

The colonies were housed in one-gallon glass battery jars fitted withfiber-board platforms, with clean tap-water offered continuously incotton-stoppered glass vials. The jars were rimmed with a thin coatingof petrolatum, and covered closely with three layers of cheesecloth heldin place with strong elastic bands. These measures prevented escape ofthe test insects, as well as contamination by other insects.

Each test included "control" colonies, in which the food was untreated,and "test" colonies, in which the food was mixed with the compositionsbeing tested to form percent concentrations by weight (w/w). Unlessotherwise specified, the food was Agway Laboratory Rat Chow and wasprepared by grinding the chow pellets to a fine powder and, for testcolonies, incorporating the test compositions by grinding and mixingthem with the chow, using a mortar and pestle. In some cases, asspecified more fully in the examples, the test compositions wereincorporated into food which consisted of an inert bait base, whichwould be known to one of ordinary skill in the art, or a 50% (w/w) inertbait-base+rat chow composition. Food, either treated or untreated, waspre-weighed in stainless steel planchettes and offered with theplanchettes placed in plastic cups, to avoid loss through spillage.During tests, the planchettes were weighed weekly and food replenishedwhen necessary.

Replicate colonies were initiated on consecutive days, with all colonieshoused in the stock laboratory under the same conditions of ambienttemperature (25° C.), and humidity as during rearing. A control "blankcolony" , which was identical to a control colony except that no insectswere included, was monitored for loss or gain of moisture in the fooddue to changes in ambient humidity. Any such changes were factored intothe calculations of food consumption.

A record was kept of all dead insects, which were counted and sexedweekly when the food was weighed. Dead insects were frozen and stored at-4° C. prior to being subjected to a whole-body uric acid assay. Unlessotherwise specified, the total population of each colony was countedevery three (3) weeks. When all of the insects, or all of the females,were dead or moribund, the colony was determined to be non-viable andthe experiment was terminated. Remaining insects were killed by freezingand stored frozen, as above, to await assaying for uric acid.

Food consumption, in milligrams per individual cockroach (ICmg), wascalculated for the first three (3) weeks of the experiment, prior tonymphs hatching. The mean percent change (Δ%) in population number foreach colony was calculated, with the initial number (42) representing100%. These measurements determined whether the test compositions wereingested, and whether such compositions were effective in inhibitingpopulation growth.

EXAMPLE 2 Uric Acid Assay

Determination of the whole-body uric acid content of the deadcockroaches was conducted essentially according to a standard uricaseassay (Cochran (1973) Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A46: 409-419). Individualcockroaches, with wings and legs trimmed off, were dried for 24-48 hoursat 60° C., weighed, and ground to a fine powder. Uric acid was extractedfrom the dry tissue with 0.6% aqueous lithium carbonate for three (3)hours at 60° C. with continuous shaking. The extracts were centrifugedto remove tissue debris. After mixing with uricase, the maximumabsorption at 292 nm was determined spectrophotometrically, and uricacid concentration was calculated in μg uric acid/mg of dry tissue.

EXAMPLE 3 Assessment of Xanthine Food Compositions

In two experiments (3a) and (3b), the effects of adding 1% xanthineSigma Chemical Co.! to the basic cockroach diet of ground rat chow, werestudied. The colonies in each experiment were set up as described inExample I, with the diets being either rat chow alone (RC), or ratchow+1% xanthine (RCX). Each experiment included three replicatecolonies for each condition (n=3).

The populations were counted at 6 and 9 weeks (3a) or 10 and 12 weeks(3b), and the percent change in mean population numbers (Δ%) wascalculated. Mean individual consumption (ICmg) of the diets for thefirst three weeks of treatment was calculated from the food-weight data.

The results are shown in Table 1a. The addition of xanthine appearedneither to inhibit feeding nor to adversely affect population growth. Infact, xanthine appeared to enhance reproduction, as population numberswere higher in xanthine-treated colonies than in those fed rat chowalone.

                                      TABLE 1a    __________________________________________________________________________    Table 1a: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches administered offered food    without (RC) or with 1% xanthine (RCX). n = 3    EXPERIMENT 3a        EXPERIMENT 3b        ICmg             ICmg    TIME        (±SEM)                Δ%(*)                         (±SEM)                                 Δ%    (wks)        RC  RCX RC  RCX  RC  RCX RC  RCX    __________________________________________________________________________    3   55.8            55.3         58.0                             57.9        (±0.9)            (±2.7)    (±0.4)                             (±0.8)    6           +224%                    +278%    9           +707%                    +921%    10                           +1405%                                     +1433%    12                           +1774%                                     +1869%    __________________________________________________________________________     (*) + = increase

In an additional experiment (3c), German cockroaches from the VPIstrain, and colonies of German cockroaches of the Hawthorne strain knownto be resistant to insecticides commonly used for cockroach control,were prepared essentially as described in Example 1. The dietsadministered were either rat chow+1% (w/w) xanthine (RCX), or 50% (w/w)rat chow and bait base+1% xanthine (RCBBX), or bait base+1% xanthine(BBX).

The results are shown in Table 1b. As in experiments 3a and 3b, theaddition of xanthine appeared either to inhibit feeding nor to adverselyaffect population growth.

                  TABLE 1b    ______________________________________    Table 1b: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population numbers over time (weeks),    in colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible    strain, and of the Hawthorne resistant strain, offered a    choice of diets with 1% xanthine (w/w) in ground rat chow    alone (RCX), in ground rat chow and bait base, mixed 50/50    (RCBBX), or in bait base alone (BBX). The ratio of each    mixture consumed is given as a percent of the total amount    eaten (% TOTAL). (n = 3, 100% = 42)    TIME          VPI STRAIN     HAWTHORNE STRAIN    (wks) TEST    RCX    RCBBX BBX   RCX   RCBBX BBX    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    19.sup.                         23.sup.                               27.sup.                                     18.sup.                                           22.sup.                                                 27.sup.          (±SEM)                  (±1.5)                         (±0.9)                               (±0.6)                                     (±0.3)                                           (±1.7)                                                 (±0.3)    3     %       27%    34%   39%   27%   33%   40%          TOTAL    6     Δ%                  +441%          +933%    ______________________________________

EXAMPLE 4 Assessment of Xanthine-Oxypurinol Compositions

Colonies of German cockroaches were prepared as described. The dietsadministered were rat chow alone (RC); rat chow with oxypurinol SigmaChemical Co.! (RC+OXY%) at two concentrations (w/w); and rat chow with1% xanthine (RCX) and with oxypurinol (+OXY%) at five concentrations(w/w). Mean individual consumption (ICmg), percent change in colonypopulation numbers, and whole-body uric acid concentrations weredetermined, as previously described.

Mean individual consumption (ICmg) in the first three weeks wascalculated, and the results shown in Table 2a below. The addition ofoxypurinol alone caused a decrease in food consumption over controls feduntreated food. The addition of xanthine to the diet caused theconsumption of oxypurinol-treated food to increase by 35% at 0.1%oxypurinol concentration, and by 56% at the 1.0% oxypurinolconcentration.

                  TABLE 2a    ______________________________________    Table 2a: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) of rat chow over    three weeks, with or without 1% xanthine, and with various    concentrations (w/w) of oxypurinol (OXY%).    ICmg    (±SEM)     ICmg    XANTHINE 0%   (±SEM)                  RC +    XANTHINE 1%    TIME          OXY%    RC + OXY%    (wks) RC      0.1   1.0 0.1   0.5   1.0   2.0   3.0    ______________________________________    3     53.7    36    32  48.5  58.3  49.9  52.6  45.6          (±2.0)                  n =   n = (±1.4)                                  (±0.8)                                        (±1.9)                                              (±1.5)                                                    n = 1          n = 9*  1     1   n = 6 n = 3 n = 6 n = 6    ______________________________________     *n = number of colonies

The percent changes (Δ%) in mean colony population numbers at 5.5, 6, 7,9, 10 and 12 weeks of treatment were determined as described, with theresults shown in Table 2b below. The addition of oxypurinol alone to thediet did not inhibit population growth. The addition of xanthine plusoxypurinol inhibited population growth to the point of extinction.

                                      TABLE 2b    __________________________________________________________________________    Table 2b: Percent changes (+ or - Δ%) in mean population    number, in colonies of German cockroaches offered food with or    without 1% xanthine, and with various concentrations (w/w) of    oxypurinol (OXY%), over time (weeks). Except where noted, n = 3.    XANTHINE 0%        XANTHINE 1%    TIME        RC    RC + OXY%                       RC + OXY%    (wks)        CONTROL              0.1  1.0 0.1                          0.5 1.0 2.0 3.0    __________________________________________________________________________    5.5 +690% +460%                   +1060%        n = 1 n = 1                   n = 1    6   +126%          -31%                          -50%                               -5%                                  -11%                                      -55%        n = 5    9   +812%          -92%                          -92%                              -64%                                  -77%                                      -88%        n = 5    7   +719%          -64%   -75%                                  -69%    10  +1405%         -91%   -98%                                  -98%    12  +1774%         -94%   -100%                                  -100%    __________________________________________________________________________

Whole-body uric acid concentrations were calculated from standarduricase assays for cockroaches that died during weeks 5-9 of treatment.Samples from the VPI laboratory strain of German cockroaches also wereassayed to show typical "base-line" levels of urates before treatment.

As shown in Table 2c below, females in the VPI strain typically exhibita slightly higher uric acid level than males, regardless of stage.However, as shown in Tables 2d-2f below, after several weeks of feedingwith xanthine and oxypurinol in the diet, there is a marked decline inwhole-body urate concentration in all groups regardless of age or sex.

                  TABLE 2c    ______________________________________    Table 2c: Mean, whole-body uric acid concentrations (μg/mg    of dry tissue weight, ±SEM), in different age and gender    groups of the VPI laboratory strain of German cockroaches    that are typical of those used in the feeding experiments.                         AGE    URIC ACID μg/mg    STAGE   GENDER       (wks)  (±SEM)    ______________________________________    adult   males        6-7    1.80            n = 9               (±0.12)            females             2.41            n = 10              (±0.06)    nymph   males        5-6    2.34            n = 10              (+0.10)            females             2.44            n = 10              (±0.22)    nymph   males        3-4    0.77            n = 10              (±0.10)            females             1.51            n = 10              (±0.10)    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 2d    ______________________________________    Table 2d: Mean whole-body uric acid concentrations (μg/mg dry    tissue weight ±SEM) in male German cockroaches on food without    (RC), or with, 1% xanthine (RCX) and various percent    concentrations (w/w) of oxypurinol (OXY%).    TIME              RCX + OXY%    (wks)     RC      0.1        1.0   2.0    ______________________________________    5         2.42    0.54       0.32  0.31              (±0.12)                      (±0.05) (±0.06)                                       (±0.05)              n = 5   n = 25     n = 17                                       n = 17    6         2.79    0.43       0.30  0.27              (±0.21)                      (±0.04) (±0.04)                                       (±0.03)              n = 4   n = 32     n = 35                                       n = 26    7         2.78    0.54       0.25  0.21              (±0.25)                      (±0.10) (±0.04)                                       (±0.04)              n = 6   n = 8      n = 14                                       n = 12    9         3.16    0.51       0.14  0.32              (±0.06)                      n = 1      (±0.04)                                       (±0.10)               n = 10            n = 7 n = 3    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 2e    ______________________________________    Table 2e: Mean whole-body uric acid concentrations (μg/mg dry    tissue weight ±SEM) in female German cockroaches on food    without (RC), or with, 1% xanthine (RCX) and various percent    concentrations (w/w) of oxypurinol (OXY%).    TIME              RCX + OXY%    (wks)     RC      0.1        1.0   2.0    ______________________________________    5     2.63    0.31           0.31  0.28          (±0.14)                  (±0.13)     (±0.04)                                       (±0.08)          n = 3   n = 6          n = 8 n = 7    6     3.13    0.31           0.34  0.35          (±0.04)                  (±0.03)     (±0.06)                                       (±0.06)          n = 4   n = 27         n = 27                                       n = 18    7     2.95    0.43           0.22  0.26          (±0.18)                  (±0.04)     (±0.04)                                       (±0.06)          n = 4   n = 24         n = 23                                       n = 14    9     3.14    0.21           0.29  0.34          n = 1   (±0.03)     (±0.04)                                       (±0.05)                  n = 21         n = 14                                       n = 13    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 2f    ______________________________________    Table 2f: Mean whole-body uric acid concentrations (μg/mg    dry tissue weight ±SEM) in German cockroach nymphs offered    food without (RC), or with, 1% xanthine (RCX) and various    percent concentrations (w/w) of oxypurinol (OXY%).    TIME              RCX + OXY%    (wks)     RC      0.1        1.0   2.0    ______________________________________    5         1.95    0.53       0.32              (±0.36)                      (±0.04) (±0.18)              n = 4   n = 3      n = 2    6         2.95                     0.08              (±0.09)               (±0.06)              n = 5                    n = 2    7         3.14                     0. 13              (±0.03)               (±0.08)              n = 4                    n = 2    9         3.26                     0.14              n = 1                    n = 1    ______________________________________

In additional experiments, replicate colonies were prepared essentiallyas described ni Example 1. The diets administered were rat chow+baitbase alone (RCBB); rat chow+bait base+1% xanthine (RCBBX) and oxypurinol(OXY) at two concentrations; and bait base+1% xanthine (BBX) andoxypurinol (OXY) at two concentrations.

Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent change (Δ%) in meanpopulation number were determined over time (weeks). The results areshown in Table 2g below.

                  TABLE 2g    ______________________________________    Table 2g: Mean individual consumption (ICmg), and percent    changes (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible strain    offered diets without xanthine or diets with 1% xanthine (X),    and 1% or 2% oxypurinol (OXY). The foods were rat chow and    bait base 50/50 (RCBB), or bait base alone (BB). (n = 3;    100% = 42)            CONTROL 1% OXY       2% OXY    TIME  TEST    RCBB      RCBBX  BBX   RCBBX BBX    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    64        50     41    47    42          (±SEM)                  (±1.6) (±1.3)                                   (±1.5)                                         (±3.5)                                               (±1.3)    3     Δ%                   -10%     -14%    -64% -36%   -69%    6     Δ%                  +798%     -94%   -100% -96%  -100%    ______________________________________

A rapid population decline and extinction was observed in the treatedcolonies, compared with the untreated controls. Although the meanindividual consumption was slightly lower in those colonies administeredtreated bait-base compositions, deleterious effects occurred morerapidly than in colonies administered treated rat chow (Table 2b). Inthe present experiment, the amounts of oxypurinol ingested in the firstthree weeks were 500 μg and 410 μg in the respective foods at 1%oxypurinol, and 940 μg and 840 μg respectively, at 2% oxypurinol.

In yet further experiments, replicate colonies of German cockroacheswere prepared essentially as described in Example 1. The dietsadministered were rat chow alone (RC); bait base alone (BB); baitbase+xanthine (BBX) and two concentrations of oxypurinol (OXY); ratchow+xanthine at three concentrations (RCX) and oxypurinol (OXY) atthree concentrations.

The results are shown in Table 2h below.

                                      TABLE 2h    __________________________________________________________________________    Table 2h: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks) in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible strain    administered either untreated rat chow (RC) or bait base    (BB), or these foods treated with various concentrations    (w/w) of xanthine (X) ranging from 0.5% to 3%, and with    various concentrations (w/w) of oxypurinol ranging from 0.5%    to 3%. (n = 5 untreated, n = 3 treated, 100% = 42)    TIME    RC OR BB                  BBX 0.5%  RCX 1%                                 RCX 2%                                      RCX 3%    (wks)        TEST            CONTROLS                  OXY .5%                       OXY 1%                            OXY .5%                                 OXY 2%                                      OXY 3%    __________________________________________________________________________    3   ICmg            49    29   33   58   47   45        (±SEM)            (±1.2)                  (±0.3)                       (±0.7)                            (±0.8)                                 (±1.1)                                      (±0.3)    3   Δ%             -4%  -32% -50% -12% -11% -21%    6   Δ%            +213% -96% -82% -48% -50% -50%    9   Δ%            +722% -100%                       -99% -92% -88% -86%    __________________________________________________________________________

As illustrated in Table 2h, population control was achieved in all ofthe treated colonies. However, the rate of population decline wasslowest in the colonies fed the higher concentrations of xanthine andoxypurinol (2% and 3%), although mean individual consumption for thesegroups matched those of the untreated controls. The fastest declines inpopulation were observed in those colonies with the lowest consumptionrate and which had been administered diets containing 0.5% xanthine andeither 0.5% or 1.0% oxypurinol in a bait-base composition. Highestconsumption was observed in colonies administered a diet of 1% xanthineand 0.5% oxypurinol, with reduction in population moderate as to time.The amount of oxypurinol and xanthine ingested individually ranged from145 μg to 1,350 μg over the first three weeks in these trials.

EXAMPLE 5 Assessment of Xanthine-Oxypurinol Compositions Offered forDifferent Durations

Colonies were prepared essentially as described in Example 1. The dietsadministered were rat chow alone (RC) and rat chow+1% xanthine (RCX)plus oxypurinol (OXY) at three concentrations. The food was offered fordurations of either 24 hours, or 1, 2, or 3 weeks. At the end of thetreatment time, the treated food was removed, and the insects wereoffered untreated rat chow for the remainder of the test time.

As shown in Table 3a below, a minimum dose of oxypurinol must beingested over time to achieve population inhibition. For example, the24-hour treatment affected population numbers when compared with thecontrol, but did not control population numbers at any concentration ofoxypurinol. Calculation revealed that the individual consumption ofoxypurinol ingested during this time ranged from 6 μg to 104 μg.

                  TABLE 3a    ______________________________________    Table 3a: Percent change (+ or -) in mean population numbers in    colonies fed a diet of rat chow alone (RC), or rat chow    combined with 1% xanthine (RCX), and with various    concentration (w/w) of oxypurinol (OXY%). Duration of    treatments was 24 hrs, or 1, 2, or 3 weeks, after which rat chow    alone was offered. n = 3.    TREATMENT             TIME              RCX + OXY%    DURATION (wks)    RC       0.1    1.0    2.0    ______________________________________    24 hours 6         +500%   +250%  +114%  +109%    1 week   6         +887%   +137%  -45%   -49%             9        +1157%   +320%  -63%   -57%             12       +1580%   +853%   -5%   -31%    2 weeks  9         +591%    +36%  -65%   -90%             12        +750%   +213%  -66%   -94%             15       >+750%   +561%  -45%   -96%    3 weeks  6         +391%    -58%  -71%   -92%             9        +1050%    -71%  -92%   -97%             12       +1604%    -79%  -96%   -98%    ______________________________________

Treatment with 0.1% oxypurinol for one or two weeks also resulted inlower population numbers when compared with controls, and delayedegg-hatch by 1-2 weeks, but the treated colonies were recovering whenthey were terminated at 12 weeks. However, three (3) weeks of treatmentat 0.1% oxypurinol did cause a substantial reduction in populationnumbers in the weeks following treatment, with no recovery noted by 12weeks, and-with only one viable egg case, which hatched six weeks laterthan normal.

Colonies treated for two (2) weeks with 2% oxypurinol, or for three (3)weeks with 1% or 2% oxypurinol did not recover, even when the "recovery"time was extended to fifteen (15) weeks. Mean individual consumption ofoxypurinol was 734 μg, 579 μg , and 1,140 μg respectively.

Additional experiments were conducted with colonies of Germancockroaches of the American Cyanamid (AMCY) susceptible strain, preparedessentially as described in Example 1. The diets administered were baitbase alone (BB) or bait base+1% xanthine and 1% oxypurinol. The food wasoffered for durations of either 3, 6, 9, 12, or 15 days. At the end ofthe treatment time, the treated food was removed, and the insects wereoffered untreated bait base (BB) for the remainder of the test period.The controls were offered either untreated bait base (BB) continuously,or treated food continuously, until the end of the trial.

As shown in Table 3b below, treatment for 6 days or more was required toachieve irreversible decline in the test population.

                  TABLE 3b    ______________________________________    Table 3b: Percent change (Δ%) in mean population numbers over    time (weeks) in colonies of German cockroaches of the AMCY susceptible    strain fed a diet of bait base alone (BB), or bait base + 1% xanthine    and    1% oxypurinol. Duration of treatment was 3, 6, 9, 12, or 15 days, after    which untreated base bait was administered.    * = no data recorded. (n = 3, 100% = 42)    TREATMENT   TIME    DURATION    (wks)     BB      BBX + 1% OXY    ______________________________________     3 DAYS     3           -2%    -8%                6         --*     -27%                9         +1910%   0%     6 DAYS     3           -2%   -10%                6         --      -53%                9         +1588%   -2%     9 DAYS     3           0%    -13%                6         --      -75%                9         +1452%  -90%    12 DAYS     3           0%    -25%                6         --      -89%                9         +1719%  -96%    15 DAYS     3           0%    -17%                6         --      -90%                9         +1781%  -98%    CONTINUOUS  3         --       -2%    TREATMENT   6         --      -100%    ______________________________________

Individual consumption of oxypurinol for treatment durations of 3 days,6 days, 9 days, 12 days, 15 days, and continuously, was 64 μg, 150 μg,193 μg, 265 μg, 301 μg, and 434 μg, respectively.

EXAMPLE 6 Assessment of Food Choice

Colonies were prepared essentially as described in Example 1, with threereplicates of each condition. Planchettes containing either untreatedfood (RC) or food treated with xanthine+oxypurinol (RCX+OXY%) wereoffered together in each colony. Food weights for each planchette werecalculated to determine how much of each was consumed. The treatmentsconsisted of rat chow with 1% xanthine and oxypurinol at either 0.1%,0.5% or 1.0% (w/w) concentration. The control colony was given twoplanchettes of untreated rat chow.

The results, as shown in Table 4a below, indicate that the insectsconsumed either the same quantity of treated and untreated food (at 0.5%oxypurinol), or ate more of the treated than the untreated food (at 0.1%and 2.0% oxypurinol ). The range of oxypurinol ingested was calculatedto be between 29 μg and 265 μg per incividual over the first threeweeks, and a high level of popuation-growth control was achieved,especially at 1.0% oxypurinol concentration.

                                      TABLE 4a    __________________________________________________________________________    Table 4a: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change in mean population numbers (Δ%) over time (weeks),    in colonies where treated (RCX + OXY%) and untreated (RC)    food were offered together as a choice of diet. The amount    of oxypurinol ingested over the first three weeks is shown    as μg/individual (ICμg OXY), and the ratio of treated and    untreated food consumed is given as percent of the total    amount eaten (% TOTAL). (n = 3; 100% = 42)                       RCX +  RCX +  RCX +    TIME     RC        OXY%   OXY%   OXY%    (wks)        TEST CONTROL                   RC  0.1 RC 0.5 RC 1.0    __________________________________________________________________________    3   ICmg 58.9  23.1                       29.4                           25.7                              25.6                                  24.7                                     26.5        ±SEM             ±1.7                   ±3.1                       ±0.30                           ±1.0                              ±1.3                                  ±0.9                                     ±2.0        ICμg             0     0   29.4                           0  128 0  265        % TOTAL              100% 43% 57% 50%                              50% 48%                                     52%    7   Δ%              +422%                   -64%    -72%   -83%    9   Δ%             +1378%                   -71%    -80%   -94%    12  Δ%             +2007%                   -76%    -71%   -96%    __________________________________________________________________________

In additional experiments, replicate colonies were prepared essentiallyas described in Example 1. Planchettes containing either untreated baitbase (BB), or bait base+1% xanthine (BBX) and either 1% or 2% oxypurinol(OXY), were offered together in each colony. Results were compared withcontrol colonies offered only untreated bait base.

The results, as shown in Table 4b below, demonstrate that adding acombination of xanthine and either 1% or 2% oxypurinol to the inert baitbase caused the population to diminish to the point of extinction. Thisoccurred even though the insects had untreated food available to them aswell. There was little, or no, feeding inhibition exhibited with thesecompounds added to the food.

                  TABLE 4b    ______________________________________    Table 4b: Mean individual consumption (ICmg), and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches, where untreated bait base    (BB), and bait base treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine (BBX) and    either 1% or 2% oxypurinol (OXY), were offered as a choice of    food. (n = 3, 100% = 42)                                  BBX    TIME          BB              1%          BBX    (wks) TEST    CONTROL   BB    OXY   BB    2% OXY    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    61        14    25    21    16          (±SEM)                  n = 1     (±0.3)                                  (±0.6)                                        (±1.4)                                              (±1.4)    3     %       100%      36%   64%   57%   43%          TOTAL    3     Δ%                   -2%      -57%      -60%    4     Δ%                   -2%      -93%      -87%    6     Δ%                  +369%     -98%      -99%    ______________________________________

The range of oxypurinol ingested was calculated to be between 250 μg-320μg per individual insect over the first three weeks of treatment.

EXAMPLE 7 Life Stage Effects of Xanthine-Oxypurinol Compositions

Colonies of German cockroaches were housed as previously described inExample 1, with the usually mixed stages separated into three differentcolonies. Colonies consisted of either newly-molted adults (five malesand five females, 6-7 weeks old); large nymphs (eight males and eightfemales, 5-6 weeks old); or small nymphs (eight males and eight females,3-4 weeks old). Colonies of older adults (five males and five females,7-8 weeks old) also were tested.

The diets administered were either rat chow alone (RC), or rat chow+1%xanthine (RCX) plus various concentrations (w/w) of oxypurinol (OXY%).Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent change in mean populationnumber (Δ%) were determined for each stage, and are shown in Tables 5athrough 5d below, for adults, large nymphs, small nymphs, and olderadults, respectively.

The data in these tables confirm that the primary impact of treatmentwith xanthine plus oxypurinol occurs as the cockroaches attempt toreproduce. The effect is probably caused by depletion of the insects'metabolic reserves, including uric acid stores which cannot be replacedbecause of irreversible enzyme inhibition. However, very small nymphswhich hatch in a dying colony also are affected in that they are usuallytoo weak to survive, and rarely reach their second instar. It isprobable that they are not invested with the metabolic reserves that arenormally passed to them prenatally. Their continued feeding on treatedfood also prevents the young nymphs from developing their own metabolicstores, especially stores of uric acid.

Adult males were observed to be the first to die. At mating, adult malesutilize a large part of their reserves to pass urates as well as maturesperm to the females. Females who have just produced an egg-case, whichnecessitates a large investment of nutritional reserves, die shortlythereafter, usually with the non-viable egg-case protruding from theovipositor.

Cochran observed that cyclic feeding occurs in adult females in relationto egg production (Cochran (1983) Entomol. Exp. Appl. 34: 51-57). Inthis oothecal cycle, the females feed vigorously while maturing theoocytes, and sparingly while carrying an egg-case. These phenomena wouldaccount for the high feeding rates and early mortality of thenewly-emerged adults (Table 5a), as well as the low feeding rates of theolder adults (Table 5d). These latter females were likely to alreadyhave matured the eggs that would fill oothecae soon after the colony wasassembled, and thus were in the low feeding-rate part of their cycle.Their first nymphal hatch would account for the precipitous rise inpopulation numbers in these colonies (Table 5d), followed by the gradualweakening of the colonies as the adults attempted to reproduce furtherand the newly-hatched nymphs died.

Nymphs followed the same pattern of mortality as the adults, and weremost affected by the treated diet after molting to the adult stage, whenthey normally feed vigorously in preparation for maturing their firstoocytes. The delay in the rate at which the population declined in thelarge nymph colony (Table 5b), and small nymph colony (Table 5c), isfurther evidence that the major impact occurs during reproduction. Thiswould have happened between weeks 9-11 of the experiment for theseage-groups.

The effective dosage range for oxypurinol with xanthine is very wide inthese experiments, causing high mortality at 99.5 μg/individual measuredover three weeks in the newly-molted adults (Table 5a), and slowercontrol at higher individual consumption rates when the colonies werestarted as nymphs. However, it is clear that, although there is adifferent effect on the cockroaches depending on their age whentreatment is started, they are all affected as they attempt toreproduce.

                  TABLE 5a    ______________________________________    Table 5a: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent change    in mean population number (Δ%) in colonies of newly-molted    adult German cockroaches fed untreated rat chow (RC) or rat    chow + 1% xanthine (RCX) and various concentrations (w/w) of    oxypurinol (OXY%).    COLONY STARTED AS ADULTS (n = 1)    TIME                  RCX + OXY%    wks   TEST       RC       0.1    1.0    2.0    ______________________________________    3     ICmg       87.0     99.5   76.8   84.8    3     ICμg OXY                     0        99.5   768    1696    6     Δ%   +1430%    -94%  -75%    -88%    9     Δ%   +1310%   -100%  -90%   -100%    12    Δ%   +1810%   -100%  -100%  -100%    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 5b    ______________________________________    Table 5b: Mean individual Consumption (ICmg) and percent change    in mean population number (Δ%) in colonies of large German    cockroach nymphs (5-6 weeks old at the starting date) fed    untreated rat chow (RC) or rat chow + 1% xanthine (RCX) and    various concentrations (w/w) of oxypurinol (OXY%).    COLONY STARTED AS LARGE NYMPHS (n = 1)    TIME                  RCX + OXY%    wks   TEST        RC      0.1    1.0   2.0    ______________________________________    3     ICmg        82.8    76.9   65.3  79.3    3     ICμg OXY 0       76.9   653   1586    6     Δ%     -6%    -50%   -31%   -6%    9     Δ%    +1613%  -69%   -81%  -63%    12    Δ%    +1800%  -88%   -100% -100%    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 5c    ______________________________________    Table 5c: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent change    in mean population number (Δ%) of small German cockroach nymphs    (3-4 weeks old at the starting date) fed untreated rat chow    (RC) or rat chow + 1% xanthine (RCX) and various concentrations    (w/w) of oxypurinol (OXY%).    COLONY STARTED AS SMALL NYMPHS (n = 1)    TIME                  RCX + OXY%    wks   TEST        RC      0.1    1.0   2.0    ______________________________________    3     ICmg        54.9    53.9   52.4  40.4    3     ICμg OXY 0       53.9   524   808    6     Δ%     -50%   -31%   -19%  -81%    9     Δ%    +719%   -69%   -81%  -88%    12    Δ%    +775%   -88%   -100% -100%    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 5d    ______________________________________    Table 5d: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent change    in mean population number (Δ%) in colonies of older German    cockroach adults (8-9 weeks old at the starting date) fed    untreated rat chow (RC) or rat chow + 1% xanthine (RCX) and    various concentrations (w/w) of oxypurinol (OXY%).    COLONY STARTED AS OLDER ADULTS (n = 3)    TIME                  RCX + OXY%    wks   TEST       RC       0.1    1.0    2.0    ______________________________________    3     ICmg       38.7     37.2   35.0   35.2          (±SEM)           (±1.9)                                     (±0.6)                                            (±1.8)    3     ICμg OXY                     0        37.2   350    704    6     Δ%   +1150%   +557%  +403%  +823%    9     Δ%   +1030%   +33%   +40%   +197%    12    Δ%   +1820%   -73%   -67%    -30%    ______________________________________

EXAMPLE 8 Assessment of Compositions Containing Trimethoprim

Replicate colonies of German cockroaches were prepared essentially asdescribed in Example 1. The diets administered were either rat chowalone (RC); rat chow with various concentrations (w/w) of trimethoprim(RC+T%), or rat chow+1% xanthine (RCX) and various concentrations (w/w)of trimethoprim (T%).

As shown in Table 6a below, the addition of trimethoprim alone did notinhibit population growth, although there was some eventual weakening ofthe treated colonies. As shown in Table 6b below, however, thecombination of xanthine and trimethoprim caused rapid inhibition ofpopulation growth.

                  TABLE 6a    ______________________________________    Table 6a: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) of rat chow    without (RC) or with various concentrations (w/w) of    trimethoprim (RC + T%), over time (weeks), shown in conjunction    with percent change in mean population number (Δ%), in colonies    of German cockroaches where the starting number (42) = 100%.    n = 5    TIME                RC + T%    WKS   TEST      RC      0.5      1.0   2.0    ______________________________________    3     ICmg      62      61       58    54          (±SEM) (±2.2)                            (±3.5)                                     (±3.4)                                           (±1.7)    12    Δ%  +1398%  +1246%   +1013%                                           +384%    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 6b    ______________________________________    Table 6b: Mean individual consumption (Icmg), and percent    change in mean population number (Δ%), over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches offered food without xanthine    (RC) or with 1% xanthine (RCX) and various concentrations (w/w)    of trimethoprim (T%), where the colony starting number (42) = 100%.                  RCX + T%    TIME            RC      1.0      2.0   3.0    wks   TEST      n = 6   n = 3    n = 12                                           n = 3    ______________________________________    1     ICmg      17.3    12.0      8.8   5.8          (±SEM) (±2.4)                            (±0.9)                                     (±0.7)                                           (±0.1)          Δ%  -1%     -4%      -28%  -41%    3     ICmg      44.7    33.9     22.6  13.4          (±SEM) (±2.1)                            (±1.1)                                     (±2.8)                                           (±1.3)          Δ%  -16%    -23%     -77%  -98%    6     Δ%  +36%    -44%     -67%  -98%    ______________________________________

Whole-body uric acid concentrations were calculated from standarduricase assays, as previously described. As shown in Table 6c below,uric acid metabolism was not affected by treatment with a combination ofxanthine and trimethoprim. During the first three-weeks, there was amean Δ% of -82% of the populations in the treated colonies, with 65% ofthese still nymphs when they died. This represents 72% of the nymphsused for the experiment, and confirms that effects are most pronouncedduring nymphal molt.

                  TABLE 6c    ______________________________________    Table 6c: Mean whole-body uric acid concentrations (μg/mg dry    tissue weight ±SEM), in three groups of German cockroaches    offered untreated food (RC), or food treated with 1% xanthine    (RCX) and 2% trimethoprim (w/w).    WEEK     GROUP        RC      RCX + 2% T    ______________________________________    3-4      males        2.04    2.61                          ±0.12                                  ±0.05                          n = 19  n = 9             females      2.54    2.64                          ±0.06                                  ±0.03                          n = 17  n = 3             nymphs       2.76    2.62                          n = 1   ±0.12                                  n = 9    ______________________________________

In additional experiments, replicate colonies of cockroaches wereprepared essentially as described in Example 1. The diets administeredwere untreated 50/50 rat chow+bait base (w/w) (RCBB); rat chow+baitbase+1% xanthine (RCBBX) and 2% trimethoprim (T); bait base+1% xanthine(BBX) and 2% trimethoprim (T). Mean individual consumption (ICmg) overthe first three weeks and the percent change (Δ%) in mean populationnumber over time were calculated as before.

As shown in Table 6d below, consumption of the untreated food was muchhigher than consumption of the treated food, regardless of composition,indicating that the insects found compositions with trimethoprim,distasteful. However, both of the treated populations lost nymphs earlyin the trial, and the colonies declined to extinction over nine weeks oftreatment. The rate of ingestion of trimethoprim was 680 μg to 700 μgover the first three weeks.

                  TABLE 6d    ______________________________________    Table 6d: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population numbers over time (weeks) in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible strain    offered foods with or without 1% xanthine (X) and 2%    trimethoprim (T). The foods were 50% rat chow with bait base    (RCBB), or bait base alone (BB). (n = 3, 100% = 42)    TIME             RCBB         RCBBX BBX    (wks)    TEST    CONTROL      2% T  2% T    ______________________________________    3        ICmg    68           34    35             (±SEM)                     (±1.7)    (±3.0)                                        (±4.6)    3        Δ%                      -5%         -79%  -72%    6        Δ%                     +782%        -79%  -92%    9        Δ%                     +1130%       -81%  -99%    ______________________________________

To test the effects of a higher concentration of xanthine withtrimethoprim, colonies were prepared essentially as described inExample 1. The diets administered were either untreated rat chow (RC) orrat chow+2% xanthine (X) and 2% trimethoprim (T). Calculations were doneas previously described

As shown in Table 6e below, the higher concentration of xanthine did notchange the feeding pattern when administered with trimethoprim, thoughthe decline of the population was faster, with extinction observed atabout six weeks. The ingestion rate of trimethoprim was about 640 μgover three weeks.

                  TABLE 6e    ______________________________________    Table 6e: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible strain,    offered food without (RC) or with 2% xanthine and 2%    trimethoprim (T) (w/w). (n = 3; 100% = 42)    TIME                  RC    (wks)    TEST         CONTROL   RCXT    ______________________________________    3        ICmg         62        32             (±SEM)    n = 1     (±1.5)    3        Δ%       -9%     -90%    6        Δ%     +1262%    -98%    ______________________________________

To further determine the effects of different concentrations of xanthineand trimethoprim in compositions, especially with regard to body size,additional tests were conducted using the large cockroach Periplanetaamericana--the American cockroach. Three colonies were prepared, eachconsisting of last-instar nymphs, of which ten were females, and fivewere males. The diets administered with either untreated rat chow (RC)or rat chow treated+1% xanthine and either 2% or 5% trimethoprim.

Although considerable feeding inhibition occurred with the 5%trimethoprim composition, the population was controlled for 32 weeks, atwhich time only 15 nymphs hatched. This was in marked contrast to thecontrol colony, where an average 47.4 nymphs per female were hatched. Itappears that higher concentrations of trimethoprim, with the compoundmicroencapsulated to mask its presence, would achieve complete control.

EXAMPLE 9 Treatment of Resistant Cockroaches with Xanthine-OxypurinolCompositions

Colonies of cockroaches were prepared essentially as described inExample 1, except that the insects were taken from laboratory stocks oftwo German cockroach strains that are known to be resistant toinsecticides commonly used for cockroach control. The two strains were:(A) the Hawthorne strain, and (B) the Las Palms strain. Profiles of theresistance ratios exhibited by these two strains are shown in Table 7abelow.

                  TABLE 7a    ______________________________________    Table 7a: Resistance ratio (RR) profiles for the Hawthorne and Las Palms    resistant strains, where, on a continuum of rising resistance, RR > 2.0    indicates that resistance is developing, and RR ≧ 3.0 indicates    that the    gene frequency for resistance has increased. RR is calculated as (Test    strain LT.sub.50) ÷ (Susceptible strain LT.sub.50), where LT.sub.50    is the time it takes    for the intoxicant to achieve 50% mortality in a treated population.    INSECTICIDE    HAWTHORNE   LAS PALMS    ______________________________________    ORGANOPHOSPHATES                   RR    Diazinon       2.0         >75    Chlorpyrifos   10.8        >50    Acephate       2.0         1.2    Malathion      5.5         >50    CARBAMATES     RR    Propoxur       1.7         >60    Bendiocarb     2.2         >70    PYRETHROIDS    RR    Pyrethrins     >140        >140    Allethrin      >140        >140    Permethrin     0.5         3.2    Phenothrin     0.6         >120    Fenvalerate    0.9         >60    Esfenvalerate  0.8         7.0    Cyfluthrin     1.8         2.5    Cypermethrin   1.6         >80    BIO-CHEMICAL   RR    Avermectin     2.4         1.5    ______________________________________

Mean individual consumption (ICmg) in the first three-weeks wascalculated as previously described. As shown in Tables 7b and 7c below,ICmg for both strains was consistent across all concentrations of thefood mixtures. The Hawthorne strain exhibited a maximum decrease inconsumption of 22% for a diet containing 3% oxypurinol. This representsa dose of 1,260 μg of oxypurinol over the first three weeks.

                  TABLE 7b    ______________________________________    Table 7b: Mean individual consumption (ICmg), over time (wks), of rat    chow offered without (RC), or with 1% xanthine (RCX), and with various    concentrations (w/w) of oxypurinol (OXY%), by German cockroaches of    the Hawthorne and Las Palms resistant strains.    TIME            RCX + OXY%    (wks) RC        0.1     1.0      2.0   3.0    ______________________________________    HAWTHORNE STRAIN    3     53.6      47.1    48.0     47.1  42.0          (±3.5) (±0.6)                            (±1.3)                                     (±0.8)                                           (±0.4)          n = 4     n = 3   n = 3    n = 3 n = 4    LAS PALMS STRAIN    3     45.2      39.5    40.0     40.0  40.3          (±1.3) (±1.0)                            (±0.4)                                     (±2.3)                                           (±0.5)          n = 4     n = 3   n = 3    n = 3 n = 4    ______________________________________

The effect of xanthine-oxypurinol combinations on population growth wasdetermined as previously described. As shown in Tables 7c and 7d below,the combination controlled the population growth of both resistantstrains. This indicates that the mode of action of thexanthine-oxypurinol combination is not affected by the multipleresistance mechanisms present in these strains.

                  TABLE 7c    ______________________________________    Table 7c: Percent changes (+ or -) in mean population number in colonies    of German cockroaches of the Hawthorne resistant strain, offered food    without (RC) or with 1% xanthine (RCX), and with various concentrations    (w/w) of oxypurinol (OXY%), over time (weeks). n = 3.    TIME                RCX + OXY%    (wks)   RC          0.1    1.0     2.0  3.0    ______________________________________    6       +438%       -32%   -22%    +12% -21%    9       +997%       -55%   -59%    -38% -67%    12      +1,601%     -77%   -78%    -76% -98%    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 7d    ______________________________________    Table 7d: Percent changes (+ or -) in mean population number in    colonies of German cockroaches of the Las Palms resistant    strain, offered food without (RC) or with 1% xanthine (RCX),    and with various concentrations (w/w) of oxypurinol, over time    (weeks). n = 3.    TIME               RCX + OXY%    wks     RC         0.1    1.0     2.0  3.0    ______________________________________    6         146%     +50%   +68%    +31% -25%    9       +1,074%    -50%    -8%    -60% -70%    12      +1,624%    -78%   -67%    -88% -95%    ______________________________________

Additional experiments were conducted to assess compositions of xanthinewith higher concentrations of oxypurinol. Colonies of cockroaches wereprepared as described, using the Hawthorne and Las Palms resistantstrains. The diets administered were untreated rat chow (RC) or rat chowtreated+1% xanthine and four concentrations of oxypurinol.

As shown in Tables 7e and 7f below, there was little difference in meanindividual consumption (ICmg) over the first three weeks in eitherstrain. A gradual decline in mean population over time (weeks) wasobserved, with extinction at 12 weeks for the Hawthorne strain. Aslightly slower rate of decline was observed in the Las Palms strain. At5% concentration, ingestion of oxypurinol was 2,350 μg for both strains,and population decline was equivalent. At the other concentrations, therange of oxypurinol ingested was 920 μg-1,840 μg (2%-4%) for theHawthorne strain, and 960 μg-1,960 μg (2%-4%) for the Las Palms strain.

                  TABLE 7e    ______________________________________    Table 7e: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks) in    colonies of German cockroaches of the Hawthorne resistant    strain, offered food without (RC) or with (w/w) 1% xanthine    and various concentrations of oxypurinol (OXY). (n = 3; 100% = 42)    TIME          RC        RCX + OXY    (WKS) TEST    CONTROL   2%     3%    4%    5%    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    49        46     45    46    47          (±SEM)                  (±2.8) (±3.5)                                   (±3.2)                                         (±3.2)                                               (±3.7)    6     Δ%                   +386%    -62%   -66%  -29%  -56%    9     Δ%                  +1316%    -89%   -91%  -75%  -89%    12    Δ%                  +1642%    -100%  -100% -100% -100%    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 7f    ______________________________________    Table 7f: Mean individual Consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks) in    colonies of German cockroaches of the Las Palms resistant    strain, offered food without (RC) or with (w/w) 1% xanthine    and various concentrations of oxypurinol (OXY). The ratio of    treated and untreated food consumed is given as a percent of    the total amount eaten. (% TOTAL). (n = 3; 100% = 42)    TIME          RC        RCX + OXY    (WKS) TEST    CONTROL   2%     3%    4%    5%    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    48        48     49    49    47          (±SEM)                  (±1.5) (±2.3)                                   (±2.6)                                         (±1.9)                                               (±2.0)    6     Δ%                   +271%    -13%   -40%  -48%  -48%    9     Δ%                  +1132%    -68%   -84%  -89%  -85%    12    Δ%                  +1567%    -87%   -98%  -98%  -100%    ______________________________________

Additional experiments were conducted to assess food choice. The dietsoffered were untreated rat chow alone (RC) for the control and a choiceof untreated rat chow (RC) and rat chow treated (w/w) with 1% xanthineand various concentrations of oxypurinol.

The results, in Tables 7g and 7h, below, show a similar level of controlof these populations compared to that exhibited in populations where nochoice of diet was available (see Tables 7e and 7f). Mean individualconsumption (ICmg) over the first three weeks showed little differencebetween the percentage of untreated and treated food consumed.

The amount of oxypurinol ingested in the choice tests was the least (450μg) at the highest concentration (5%) for the Hawthorne strain, with 600μg ingested at the 2% concentration, and 840 μg ingested at the 4%level. The amount ingested by the Las Palms strain was 660 μg at the 3%level and 900 μg at the 4% level. Population decline, however, wasslower in the Las Palms colonies than in the Hawthorne colonies.

                  TABLE 7g    ______________________________________    Table 7g: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks) in    colonies of German cockroaches of the Hawthorne resistant    strain offered untreated rat Chow alone (RC), or untreated    rat Chow offered together as a choice of diet with rat chow    treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine (X), and various    concentrations of oxypurinol (OXY). The ratio of treated    and untreated food consumed is given as a percent of the    total amount eaten (% TOTAL). (n = 3; 100% = 42)                  CON-          RCX       RCX       RCX    TIME          TROL          2%        4%        5%    (wks) TEST    RC       RC   OXY  RC   OXY  RC   OXY    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    64       30   30   31   28   33   29          ±SEM ±1.4  ±3.0                                ±5.0                                     ±6.5                                          ±4.2                                               ±2.7                                                    ±5.6    3     %        100%    51%  49%  52%  48%  54%  46%          TOTAL    6     Δ%                  +871%    -50%    -75%    -77%    9     Δ%                  +1486%   -94%    -96%    -97%    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 7h    ______________________________________    Table 7h: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks) in    colonies of German cockroaches of the Las Palms resistant    strain offered untreated rat chow alone (RC), or untreated rat    chow offered together as a choice of diet with rat chow    treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine (X), and various concentrations    of oxypurinol (OXY). The ratio of treated and untreated food    consumed is given as a percent of the total amount eaten    (% TOTAL). (n = 3; 100% = 42)                   CON-    TIME           TROL          RCX          RCX    (wks) TEST     RC      RC    3% OXY RC    4% OXY    ______________________________________    3     ICmg     60      25    22     29    23          (±SEM)                   (±3.4)                           (±3.7)                                 (±2.3)                                        (±2.1)                                              (±3.7)    3     % TOTAL   100%   53%   47%    56%   44%    6     Δ%  +490%  -52%       -43%    9     Δ% +1741%  -87%       -83%    12    Δ% +1819%  -95%       -97%    ______________________________________

Additional experiments were conducted to assess the effects of differentxanthine-oxypurinol compositions. Colonies of Hawthorne and Las Palmsstrains were prepared as described. The diets administered consisted ofrat chow (RC) or rat chow+bait base (50/50) (RCBB), or bait base alone(BB); each of which had been treated with 1% xanthine and either 1% or2% oxypurinol. A control diet, consisting of untreated rat chow, alsowas administered.

Results are given in Tables 7i and 7j below, and show a faster rate ofdecline to extinction at seven or eight weeks in both strains, atconcentrations of oxypurinol that compare with those used to controlpopulations of the susceptible VPI strain.

                  TABLE 7i    ______________________________________    Table 7i: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches of the Hawthorne resistant    strain offered untreated rat chow (RC) or food treated with 1%    xanthine and various concentrations of oxypurinol (OXY). The    food was either rat chow mixed 50% (w/w) with bait base (RCBB)    or bait base alone (BB). (n = 3; 100% = 42)    TIME          CONTROL   1% OXY     2% OXY    (WKS) TEST    RC        RCBBX  BBX   RCBBX BBX    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    60        57     47    55    43          (±SEM)                  (±1.1) (±2.2)                                   (±1.4)                                         (±1.3)                                               (±0.6)    3     Δ%                    -2%     -17%    -58% -10%  -48%    6     Δ%                   +684%    -94%   -100% -87%  -99%    8     Δ%                  >+684%    --     --    -97%  -100%    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 7j    ______________________________________    Table 7j: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches of the Las Palms resistant    strain offered untreated rat chow (RC) or food treated with 1%    xanthine and various concentrations of oxypurinol (OXY). The    food was either rat chow mixed 50% (w/w) with bait base (RCCB)    or bait base alone (BB). (n = 3; 100% = 42)    TIME          RC        1% OXY     2% OXY    (WKS) TEST    CONTROL   RCBBX  BBX   RCBBX BBX    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    50        42     36    41    35          (±SEM)                  (±1.1) (±1.7)                                   (±0.9)                                         (±1.2)                                               (±2.3)    3     Δ%                   -4%      -16%   -39%   -7%  -37%    6     Δ%                  +491%     -56%   -97%  -47%  -82%    7     Δ%                  >491%     -97%   -100% -96%  -100%    ______________________________________

Assessment of food choice was conducted as previously described. Choiceswere untreated bait base (BB), and bait base treated (w/w) with 1%xanthine and either 1% or 2% oxypurinol. Calculations were made aspreviously described, and the results are shown in Tables 7k and 7l.

There was little distinction made between untreated and treated food inboth strains, with population growth being controlled to near extinctionat six weeks, regardless of the slight reduction in consumption of foodcontaining the higher oxypurinol concentration. The range of oxypurinolingested over the first three weeks was 210-230 μg in the Hawthornestrain, and 150-180 μg for the Las Palms strain. The rate of populationdecline was comparable to that achieved when no choice of diet wasoffered. (See Tables 7i and 7j).

                  TABLE 7k    ______________________________________    Table 7k: Mean individual consumption (ICmg), consumption    ratio (% TOTAL), and percent change (Δ%) in mean population    numbers over time (weeks); in colonies of German cockroaches    of the Hawthorne resistant strain, where untreated bait base    (BB), and bait base treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine (X), and    either 1% or 2% (w/w) oxypurinol (OXY), were offered as a    choice of fool. (n = 3; 100% = 42)                   BB    TIME           CON-          BBX          BBX    (wks) TEST     TROL    BB    1% OXY BB    2% OXY    ______________________________________    3     ICmg     60      22    23     19    21          (SEM)    n = 1   (±0.9)                                 (±1.3)                                        (±0.3)                                              (±1.5)    3     % TOTAL   100%   49%   51%    48%   52%    3     Δ%   0%    -62%       -52%    4     Δ%  -2%    -94%       -92%    6     Δ% +328%   -98%       -99%    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 7l    ______________________________________    Table 7l: Mean individual consumption (ICmg), consumption    ratio (% TOTAL), and percent change (Δ%) in mean population    numbers over time (weeks), in colonies of German cockroaches    of the Las Palms resistant strain, where untreated bait base    (BB), and bait base treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine (X), and    either 1% or 2% (w/w) oxypurinol (OXY), were offered as a    choice of food. (n = 3, 100% = 42)                   BB    TIME           CON-          BBX          BBX    (wks) TEST     TROL    BB    1% OXY BB    2% OXY    ______________________________________    3     ICmg     47      17    18     16    15          (SEM)    n = 1   (±0.6)                                 (±0.6)                                        (±0.9)                                              (±0.3)    3     % TOTAL  100%    49%   51%    51%   49%    3     Δ%  0%     -48%       -43%    4     Δ%  0%     -84%       -86%    6     Δ% +424%   -98%       -99%    ______________________________________

EXAMPLE 10 Treatment of Resistant Cockroaches with Xanthine-TrimethoprimCompositions

Colonies of cockroaches were prepared as described, using the Hawthorneand Las Palms resistant strains.

As shown in Table 8a below, for the Hawthorne strain, feeding wasinhibited in relation to the control, in direct ratio to theconcentration of trimethoprim in the diet. The maximum decrease of 62%occurred at a concentration of 4% trimethoprim, which represents a doseof 639 μg per individual over the first three weeks. Population growthof the Hawthorne strain was controlled at the higher concentrations.

                  TABLE 8a    ______________________________________    Table 8a: Mean individual consumption (ICmg), and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population numbers, in colonies of German    cockroaches of the Hawthorne resistant strain offered food    without (RC), or with 1% xanthine (RCX), and various    concentrations (w/w) of trimethoprim (T%) over time (weeks).    TIME             RCX + T%    (wks)         TEST    RC      0.5   1.0   2.0   3.0   4.0    ______________________________________    3    ICmg    42.5    37.6  37.1  30.4  17.2  15.9         (±SEM)                 (±0.7)                         (±2.1)                               (±1.7)                                     (±2.0)                                           (±1.2)                                                 (±1.4)                 n = 7   n = 3 n = 3 n = 6 n = 6 n = 3    3    Δ%                  -7%     -2%   -6%  -27%  -75%  -79%                 n = 7   n = 3 n = 3 n = 6 n = 4 n = 3    6    Δ%                 +368%               -70%  -79%  -89%                 n = 4               n = 3 n = 4 n = 3    9    Δ%                 +606%   +369% +298% -17%  -95%  -94%                 n = 7   n = 3 n = 3 n = 6 n = 4 n = 3    12   Δ%                 +913%               -51%  -93%  -97%                 n = 3               n = 3 n = 3 n = 3    ______________________________________

For the Las Palms strain, as shown in Table 8b below, an even decline inICmg of treated food occurred in direct relation to the increase inconcentration of trimethoprim. The maximum inhibition, compared with thecontrol, was 38% at a concentration of 6% trimethoprim, whichconstitutes an ingested dose of 1,758 μg per individual over threeweeks. Population numbers were reduced by two-thirds at six weeks oftreatment.

                  TABLE 8b    ______________________________________    Table 8b: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent change    (Δ%) in mean population number, in colonies of German    cockroaches of the Las Palms resistant strain offered food    without (RC), or without 1% xanthine (RCX), and with various    concentrations (w/w) of trimethoprim (T%) over time (weeks).    n = 3    TIME               RCX + T%    (wks) TEST     RC      3.0    4.0   5.0    6.0    ______________________________________    3     ICmg     45.0    43.0   41.3  37.0   29.3          (±SEM)                   (±3.8)                           (±3.5)                                  (±2.2)                                        (±2.3)                                               (±1.8)    3     Δ%  -12%    -24%  -26%  -43%   -57%    6     Δ% +336%   +100%  -37%  -37%   -67%    ______________________________________

EXAMPLE 11 Treatment of Cockroaches withXanthine-Oxypurinol-Trimethoprim Compositions

Colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible strain andcolonies of the Hawthorne resistant strain were offered either untreatedrat chow (RC), or rat chow treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine (RCX),combined with 2% oxypurinol (OXY) and either 2% or 4% trimethoprim (T).Results are shown in Tables 9a (VPI strain) and 9b (Hawthorne strain).In both, colonies were virtually extinct by six weeks of treatment, inspite of declines in mean individual consumption (ICmg) of greater than50%.

                  TABLE 9a    ______________________________________    Table 9a: Mean individual Consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible    strain offered food without (RC), or with. (w/w) 1% xanthine    (RCX) and 2% oxypurinol (OXY) and 2% trimethoprim (T).    (n = 3, 100% = 42)    TIME    (wks)   TEST       RC      RCX + 2% OXY + 2% T    ______________________________________    3       ICmg       71.3    34.9            (±SEM)  n = 1   (±1.6)    3       Δ%    -5%    -68%    6       Δ%   +955%   -99%    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 9b    ______________________________________    Table 9b: Mean individual consumption (ICmg), and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches of the Hawthorne resistant    strain offered food without (RC), or with (w/w) 1% xanthine    (RCX), 2% oxypurinol (OXY), and 4% trimethoprim (T). (n = 3,    100% = 42)    TIME    (wks)   TEST       RC      RCX + 2% OXY + 4% T    ______________________________________    3       ICmg       72      34.1            (±SEM)  n = 1   (35 0.6)    3       Δ%    -2.4%  -76%    6       Δ%   +1416%  -98%    ______________________________________

In additional experiments, colonies of the VPI susceptible strain andcolonies of the Las Palms resistant strain were prepared as alreadydescribed. The VPI strain was offered food composed of rat chow alone(RC) or rat chow treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine (X), 2% oxypurinol(OXY), and 1% trimethoprim (T). The Las Palms strain was offered eitherrat chow alone (RC), or rat chow treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine (X), 3%oxypurinol (OXY), and 4% trimethoprim (T).

Mean individual consumption (ICmg), and percent change (Δ%) in meanpopulation number were calculated as described previously.

The results are given in Table 9c, below, and show that, while there wasa reduction in the rate of feeding, there was a considerable decline inthe treated populations, leading to extinction by the sixth week. Thedisparate concentrations in the compositions resulted in the same rateof decline in the susceptible and resistant insects, indicating thatmanipulation of the components can result in parity of populationcontrol, even where there are major differences in the insect strains.

                  TABLE 9c    ______________________________________    Table 9c: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks) in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible    strain and the Las Palms resistant strain, each offered    untreated food (RC), or food treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine    and various concentrations of oxypurinol and trimethoprim.    (n = 3, 100% = 42)            VPI           LAS PALMS                            RCX            RCX    TIME                    2% OXY +       3% OXY +    (wks) TEST    RC        1% T    RC     4% T    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    76        50      60     35          (±SEM)                  n = 1     (±2.0)                                    n = 1  (±1.5)    3     Δ%                    -2%     -48%     -10%  -34%    6     Δ%                   +1562%   -77%    +679%  -79%    9-10  Δ%                  >+1562%   -98%    +1819% -99%    ______________________________________

The ratios used in the trials summarized in Table 9c were X:OXY:T of1:2:1 and 1:3:4. Additional concentration ratios were assessed, assummarized in Tables 9d and 9e, below, by administering the followingdiets to colonies of the susceptible VPI strain: rat chow+bait base;bait base; rat chow+bait base treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine and 1%oxypurinol (OXY), plus either 0.1% or 0.5% trimethoprim (T).

Little difference in mean individual consumption was observed in insectsfed the control diets and those fed compositions containingtrimethoprim. However, although the inclusion of trimethoprim causedsome feeding inhibition, the decline in populations was slightly fasterwith the higher trimethoprim concentration (0.5%) than with the lowerconcentration (0.1%).

The amount of trimethoprim ingested at these concentrations was 41 μgand 190 μg respectively in the first trial, while that of oxypurinol was510 μg, 410 μg, and 380 μg (Table 9d). In the second trial, the rate fortrimethoprim was 30 μg and 165 μg, while for oxypurinol it was 400 μg ,300 μg , and 330 μg , respectively.

                  TABLE 9d    ______________________________________    Table 9d: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks) in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible strain    offered rat chow mixed 50% (w/w) with bait base either    untreated (RCBB), or treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine (X), 1%    oxypurinol (OXY), and either 0.1% or 0.5% trimethoprim (T).    (n = 3; 100% = 42)                   RCBBX    TIME          RCBB              1.0% OXY                                            1% OXY    (WKS) TEST    CONTROL    1% OXY 0.1% T  0.5% T    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    63         51     41      38          (±SEM)                  (±2.7)  (±2.0)                                    (±1.2)                                            (±1.7)    3     Δ%                   -6%       -35%   -45%     -56%    6     Δ%                  +462%      -92%   -92%    -100%    ______________________________________

                  TABLE 9e    ______________________________________    Table 9e: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible strain    offered bait base either untreated (BB), or treated (w/w) with    1% xanthine (X), 1% oxypurinol (OXY), and either 0.1% or 0.5%    trimethoprim (T). (n = 3; 100% = 42)                   BBX    TIME           BB               1% OXY  1% OXY    (wks) TEST     CONTROL   1% OXY 0.1% T  0.5% T    ______________________________________    3     ICmg     67        40     30      33          (±SEM)                   (±2.6) (±1.8)                                    (±1.0)                                            (±2.0)    3     Δ%  -6%      -59%   -55%     -79%    6     Δ% +738%     -97%   -99%    -100%    ______________________________________

EXAMPLE 12 Assessment of Purines with Oxypurinol or Trimethoprim

Colonies of cockroaches of the VPI susceptible strain were preparedessentially as described in Example 1. The diets administered were ratchow alone (RC), or rat chow (w/w) with 3% trimethoprim and either 1%xanthine (X), 1% hypoxanthine (H), or 1% guanine (G). Mean individualconsumption (ICmg) and percent change (Δ%) in mean population numberwere calculated as before, with the results shown in Table 10 below.

The results, with hypoxanthine and guanine replacing the xanthinecomponent of the diet mixtures, compared closely with those obtainedwith xanthine. Population growth was controlled to extinction of thecolonies, although some feeding inhibition occurred with all of thetrimethoprim compositions.

                  TABLE 10    ______________________________________    Table 10: Mean individual consumption (ICmg), and    percent change (Δ%) in mean population number over    time (weeks), in colonies of German cockroaches of    the VPI susceptible strain offered rat chow untreated    (RC), or treated (w/w) with 3% trimethoprim (T), and    1% of a purine. Purines were xanthine (X),    hypoxanthine (H), or guanine (G). (n = 2, 100% = 42)    TIME           RC         RC + 3% T    (wks) TEST     CONTROL    1% X   1% H   1% G    ______________________________________    3     ICmg     54         26     25     29          (±SEM)                   (±0)    (±8.0)                                     (±7.0)                                            (±8.0)    3     Δ% -5.5%      -68    -74    -71    6     Δ%  +152      -99    -91    -83    9     Δ% +1426      -100   -100   -100    ______________________________________

Additional experiments were conducted to assess the effects of the samepurines in combination with oxypurinol. Colonies of German cockroachesof the VPI susceptible strain were prepared as described. The dietsadministered were either rat chow alone (RC), rat chow treated (w/w)with 1% guanine (G), and either 1% or 2% oxypurinol (OXY), or rat chowtreated with 2% guanine and either 1% or 2% oxypurinol. Calculationswere made as before. As shown in Table 11 below, the results obtainedwith guanine were much the same as those obtained with xanthine.

                  TABLE 11    ______________________________________    Table 11: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population numbers over time (weeks) in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible strain    offered food without (RC), or with (w/w) 1% or 2% guanine (G),    and 1% or 2% oxypurinol (OXY). (n = 2; 100% = 42)                  RC + 1% G RC + 2% G    TIME          RC        1%    2%    1%    (WKS) TEST    CONTROL   OXY   OXY   OXY   2% OXY    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    66.5      64    64    64    64.0          (±SEM)                  (±0.5) (±1.5)                                  (±2.4)                                        (±1.0)                                              (±2.0)    3     Δ%                    -7%     -12%  -15%   -5%  -11%    6     Δ%                  +1262%    -83%  -71%  -83%  -74%    9     Δ%                  +1257%    -99.5%                                  -100% -98%  -100%    ______________________________________

In Table 12, results are shown for a similar trial utilizinghypoxanthine (HX) and either 1% or 2% oxypurinol. Little difference inICmg was observed across these two trials, and the activity of theoxypurinol was enhanced in the same manner as when it was administeredwith xanthine.

                  TABLE 12    ______________________________________    Table 12: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks) in    colonies of German cockroaches fed a diet of untreated rat    chow (RC), or rat chow treated (w/w) with 1% hypoxanthine    (HX), and either 1% or 2% oxypurinol (OXY). (n = 3; 100% = 42)    TIME             RC          RC + 1% H    (wks)    TEST    CONTROL     1% OXY 2% OXY    ______________________________________    3        ICmg    63          42     62             (±SEM)                     (±4.8)   (n = 1)                                        (±1.2)    3        Δ%                      -5%        -17%   -24%    6        Δ%                     +762%       -83%   -30%    9        Δ%                     +1452%      -100%  -95%    ______________________________________

Additional studies were conducted to assess compositions containing 1%purine, which, in these trials, was either guanine (G), or hypoxanthine(H), with 2% oxypurinol and either 1% or 2% trimethoprim (T).Calculations were made as before, and the results shown in Table 13,below.

Both of the purines in this trial acted in the same manner as xanthinein boosting the activity of the other components in each composition,leading to extinction of the treated colonies by the sixth week. Declinewas rapid in all cases, despite some feeding inhibition at the higherconcentrations of trimethoprim.

                  TABLE 13    ______________________________________    Table 13: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible strain    offered rat chow without (RC), or treated with 2% oxypurinol    (OXY), 1% of either guanine (G) or hypoxanthine (HX), and 1%    or 2% trimethoprim (T). (n = 3, 100% = 42)                  RC + 2% OXY    TIME          RC        1% G       1% H    (WKS) TEST    CONTROL   1% T   2% T  1% T  2% T    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    68        46     26    41    34          (±SEM)                  (±4.0) (±1.5)                                   (±3.7)                                         (±2.2)                                               (±2.7)    3     Δ%                    -1%      -59%  -78%   -58%  -76%    6     Δ%                  +1423%    -100%  -98%  -100% -100%    ______________________________________

To further determine the effects of compositions using other purines inplace of the xanthine component, uric acid (UA), the "terminal" productof the purine metabolic pathway (see FIG. 1), was combined withallopurinol (ALL), a member of the class of metabolic-enzyme inhibitorswhich includes oxypurinol. Colonies of cockroaches were preparedessentially as described in Example 1. The diets administered wereeither rat chow alone (RC), or rat chow treated (w/w) with 1% UA, and 1%or 2% ALL.

Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent change (Δ%) in meanpopulation number were calculated as before, and the results shown inTable 14, below. Steady declines of the treated populations wereobserved, despite some feeding inhibition compared with untreatedcontrols. One can predict from these results that combining oxypurinolwith uric acid would enhance these effects.

                  TABLE 14    ______________________________________    Table 14: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible    strain offered untreated rat chow (RC), or rat chow treated    (w/w) with 1% uric acid (UA), and either 1% or 2%    allopurinol (ALL). (n = 3, 100% = 42)    TIME             RC          1% UA    (wks)    TEST    CONTROL     1% ALL 2% ALL    ______________________________________    3        ICmg    58          49     46             (±SEM)                     n = 1       (±1.2)                                        (±4.5)    3        Δ%                      -7%         -7%    -9%    6        Δ%                     +379%       -33%   -27%    9        Δ%                     +1098%      -57%   -54%    ______________________________________

EXAMPLE 13 Comparison of Trimethoprim Activity With Other DihydrofolateReductase Inhibitors

Additional experiments were conducted to compare the activity ofcompositions with xanthine and either trimethoprim (T), or methotrexate(M), which is a dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor with activity similarto trimethoprim. Colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptiblestrain were prepared essentially as described in Example 1. The dietsadministered were either untreated rat chow (RC), or rat chow treated(w/w) with 1% xanthine (X), and either 2% trimethoprim (T), or 2%methotrexate (M). Results were calculated as previously described, andare shown in Table 15, below.

The experiments were terminated after three weeks of treatment, but theresults show that, although there was some feeding inhibition in thetreated colonies, the populations were declining steadily. The effectswith methotrexate were slower than with trimethoprim, but showed thesame patterns of mortality among the age groups as described fortrimethoprim, with the nymphs dying early.

                  TABLE 15    ______________________________________    Table 15: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible stain    offered untreated rat chow (RC), or rat chow treated with    1% xanthine (X) and either 2% trimethoprim (T), or 2%    methotrexate (M). (n = 3, 100% = 42)    TIME             RC           RC + 1% X    (wks)    TEST    CONTROL      2% T  2% M    ______________________________________    3        ICmg    67           33    41             (±SEM)                     (±4.8)    (±0.5)                                        (±2.0)    3        Δ%                     -3%          -89%  -45%    ______________________________________

EXAMPLE 14 Comparison of Activity Levels of Oxypurinol with other PurineMetabolic Enzyme Inhibitors

Additional experiments were conducted to assess the effects ofcompositions consisting of xanthine and purine metabolic-enzymeinhibitors included, with oxypurinol, in the group of pyrazolo3,4-d!pyrimidine compounds described previously.

In the first of these comparisons, replicate colonies of Germancockroaches were prepared essentially as described in Example 1. Thediets administered were either untreated rat chow (RC), or rat chowtreated (w/w) with 1% xanthine (X), and 1% or 2% of either oxypurinol(OXY), or allopurinol (ALL). Results were calculated as previouslydescribed, and are shown in Table 16, below.

                  TABLE 16    ______________________________________    Table 16: Mean individual consumption (ICmg) and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population number over time (weeks), in    colonies of German cockroaches of the VPI susceptible    strain offered untreated rat chow (RC), or rat chow treated    (w/w) with 1% xanthine (X), and either 1% or 2% oxypurinol    (OXY), or 1% or 2% allopurinol (ALL). (n = 3; 100% = 42)                  RC + 1% X RC + 1% X                  RC        1%    2%    1%    TIME  TEST    CONTROL   OXY   OXY   ALL   2% ALL    ______________________________________    3     ICmg    63        68    68    66    63.3          (±SEM)                  (±1.5) (±1.8)                                  (±2.1)                                        (±2.1)                                              (±2.7)    3     Δ%                    -4%     -10%  -14%   -9%  -16%    6     Δ%                  +1390%    -60%  -56%  -39%  -51%    9     Δ%                  +1464%    -99%  -98%  -71%  -73%    12    Δ%                  +1859%    -100% -100% -92%  -94%    ______________________________________

Not much difference in mean individual consumption of food was observedamong the groups, with the biggest difference noted with colonies fedcompositions containing 2% allopurinol. However, the rate of decline inpopulation was much faster with oxypurinol, which showed marked effectsthree weeks in advance of the compositions with allopurinol.

In the second comparison, replicate colonies of cockroaches of theAmerican Cyanamid (AMCY) susceptible strain were prepared essentially asdescribed in previous examples. The diets administered were untreatedbait base (BB), or bait base treated (w/w) with 1% xanthine (X), andwith either 1% oxypurinol (OXY), or 0.5% mercapto-allopurinol (MAL)(Synthons, Inc., Blacksburg, VA). Mean individual consumption (ICmg) andpercent change (Δ%) in mean population numbers were calculated asbefore, with the results shown in Table 17, below.

                  TABLE 17    ______________________________________    Table 17: Mean individual consumption (ICmg), and percent    change (Δ%) in mean population numbers over time (weeks),    in colonies of German cockroaches of the AMCY susceptible    strain offered untreated bait base (BB), or bait base    treated with 1% xanthine, and either 1% oxypurinol (OXY),    or 0.5% mercapto-allopurinol (MAL). (n = 3; 100% = 42)    TIME            BB          BB + 1% X    (wks)   TEST    CONTROL     1% OXY 0.5% MAL    ______________________________________    2       ICmg    37          37     18            (±SEM)                    (±2.5)   (±0.6)                                       (±1.0)    1       Δ%                    -0%          -4%   -15%    2       Δ%                    -2%         -44%   -70%    3       Δ%                    -2%         -79%   -93%    ______________________________________

Over the first two weeks, the amount of mercapto-allopurinol ingestedwas 90 μg per insect, but even with this comparatively low consumptionrate, the populations declined rapidly. For oxypurinol, the amountingested was 370 μg per insect over the first two weeks, with theactivity of the oxypurinol composition lagging behind that ofmercapto-allopurinol.

In examining their in vitro properties in light of the results obtainedhere, it has become evident that the half-reaction times of the pyrazolo3,4-d!pyrimidines can be used to roughly predict their activity in vivowhen combined with xanthine, or perhaps with other of the purines. Forexample, of the three examined here, mercapto-allopurinol has an invitro half-reaction time that is about four times longer than that ofoxypurinol. As can be seen in Table 17, that fact is reflected in theaccelerated mortality rate this compound achieved when combined withxanthine.

These results suggest that others in this group of related compoundscould be used in compositions with xanthine, or with other of thepurines described, to effect population control in cockroaches and otherinsects.

In addition, it is expected that compositions with the same componentratios described in the Examples, albeit with the concentrations of theindividual components in proportion to body size, could be used toeffect population control in insects of varying sizes.

All references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference intheir entireties.

What is claimed is:
 1. A composition for controlling an insect pestwhich salvages, stores, or excretes its nitrogenous wastes via thepurine metabolic pathway, comprising guanine, in an amount of about1.0%, by weight, oxypurinol, in an amount of about 2.0%, by weight, andtrimethoprim, in an amount of about 1.0% to about 2.0%, by weight.
 2. Acomposition according to claim 1 wherein the amount of trimethoprim isabout 1.0%, by weight.
 3. A composition according to claim 1, whereinthe amount of trimethoprim is about 2.0%, by weight.
 4. A compositionaccording to claim 1, wherein the insect pest is a cockroach.
 5. Amethod for controlling an insect pest which salvages, stores, orexcretes its nitrogenous wastes via the purine metabolic pathway, whichcomprises bringing into contact with said insect pest, agrowth-controlling amount of a composition comprising guanine, in anamount of about 1.0%, by weight, oxypurinol, in an amount of about 1.0%,by weight, and trimethoprim, in an amount of about 1.0% to about 2.0%,by weight.
 6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the amount oftrimethoprim is about 1.0%, by weight.
 7. A method according to claim 5,wherein the amount of trimethoprim is about 2.0%, by weight.
 8. A methodaccording to claim 5, wherein the insect pest is a cockroach.